Results 12,921-12,940 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (20 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I take note of the comments of the Senators. In case they missed it in my statement, I will repeat the following commitment given by the Minister: ... in the light of the seriousness of the suggestion in the Irish Refugee Council's report, the Minister has directed that it be comprehensively examined and any issues arising addressed. In particular, he has directed that issues relating child...

Seanad: Irish Water and Related Reforms: Statements (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank all the contributors to the debate. Some important views have been put forward. If I do not answer all the questions, including those from the Acting Chairman, it will not be a question of not having enough time but of getting a proper briefing back to Senators on the issues they raised. They are important and fundamental questions about where we are going and how we are going to...

Seanad: Irish Water and Related Reforms: Statements (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Perhaps too much whiskey is being added to it.

Seanad: Irish Water and Related Reforms: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is mór an onóir dom bheith anseo arís chun an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo - uisce a sholáthar do gach cuid den tír - agus na ceisteanna práinneacha a bhaineann leis sin a phlé. Is rud maith é gur féidir linn tosú ar maidin ceisteanna a freagairt ó dhaoine agus go dtiocfaimid ar ais go luath chun an clár a bheidh á scaipeadh againn a scrúdú ionas go mbeidh gach duine sásta íoc...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (18 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: There have been four commercial natural gas discoveries since exploration began offshore Ireland in the early 1970s, namely the Kinsale, Ballycotton and Seven Heads (Kinsale area) producing gas fields off the coast of Cork and the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo. There have been no commercial discoveries of oil to date. The Kinsale area gas fields are now nearing depletion and...

Alternative Energy Projects (19 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Officials of my Department have had contacts with their counterparts in Northern Ireland on onshore exploration authorisations in place in the two jurisdictions. The primary purpose of these contacts has been to facilitate an exchange of information on the nature of the activities that have been licensed and their associated timelines. There has also been a sharing of information on the...

Seanad: Presidential Nominations: Motion (18 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: He thought the Senator would beat him.

Seanad: Presidential Nominations: Motion (18 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I commend the House on this discussion and I have listened to Senators' comments with great interest. Like Senator Keane, I agree with Senator Norris's comments regarding an tUachtarán na hÉireann, who is doing a fantastic job and going from strength to strength. The office is held in the highest esteem and each of its holders has increased people's respect for it. This debate is timely....

Seanad: Presidential Nominations: Motion (18 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not directing my comments at any Senator. I am addressing the general arguments of some. While Senator Norris would not hold this view, some may. I appreciate that such a suggestion is not in the 1998 report of the all-party Oireachtas committee of which I was a member, but I wanted to make the point in the context of this discussion. Some concerns were aired in the run up to the 2011...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (17 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), that the presence of low volumes of algal growth on resistivity strips does not cause a pronounced attenuation of the electrical signal nor does it adversely affect a counters operation. The build-up of such algal material is common on all in-stream structures. The routine maintenance of fish counters usually includes the removal of such...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The costs associated with the purchase and operation of the MMC Ostrea since its procurement is a day to day operational matter for the Loughs Agency and I have no function in the matter. However, in order to assist the Deputy I asked my officials to contact the Lough's Agency to request the details he has sought. I will advise the Deputy as soon as the Agency's response is received.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (17 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Following scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) indicating that the European eel stocks are in a critical state, the EU introduced Council Regulation 1100/2007, the objective of which is to achieve recovery of the stocks to previous high levels. The Regulation required that all Member States prepare a national Eel Management Plan...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (17 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: This matter originally came to the attention of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and only more recently was the matter raised with my department for action. From the information that has become available since this issued was raised, I am informed that Reendonegan Lake was created in and around the late 1950s and was stocked as a put and take fishery by the...

Seanad: Flood Relief (5 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Colm Burke for raising this matter and my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee for facilitating this arrangement. On behalf of the Government, I express my sympathy to those affected by the flooding in Cork last week. While, thankfully, no lives were lost, the flooding has had a significant impact on homes and businesses in various areas of Cork. I commend the...

Seanad: Flood Relief (5 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senator for bringing that issue to my attention. I will ensure that the Minister is made aware of it immediately. The quicker all claims are settled, the better. What can be done must be done quickly.

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (3 Jul 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the recent publication by the Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture of its report on offshore oil and gas exploration. The report is a detailed document running to almost 130 pages and makes a total of 11 recommendations. On initial consideration, I can see merit in a number of the recommendations and look forward to discussing the report in more...

Written Answers — Irish Water: Irish Water (28 Jun 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Government decided in December 2011, based on the recommendations of an independent assessment, to establish a public water utility company, Irish Water, to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. Following further consideration as to whether Irish Water should be established as a new entity or whether existing bodies in...

Companies (Amendment) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (28 Jun 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am pleased to stand in for my colleague, the Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, for the taking of Report and Final Stages of this Bill, which is compact and focused in nature and proposes a small number of changes to an existing company law measure. It is proposed in the interest of maintaining a dynamic and flexible operating environment for the commercial...

Companies (Amendment) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage (28 Jun 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Companies (Amendment) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (28 Jun 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputies O'Dea, Tóibín and Lawlor for their comments thus far in the debate. The purpose of the amendment tabled by Deputy O'Dea is to provide for the removal of the prohibition contained in the Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1999 on insurance intermediaries incorporated as limited companies availing of the exemption provided for at section 32 of that Act from the requirement to...